Four Windians up for ICC 'Oscars'

Tue, Aug 17, '04

Four West Indies cricketers -- captain Brian Lara, openers Chris Gayle and Devon Smith and fast bowler Tino Best -- are among the nominees for the inaugural ICC Awards.

Lara was nominated in two categories (Test Player of the Year and Player of the Year) while Gayle was listed in the nominees for ODI Player of the Year. Smith and Best are in the Emerging Player of the Year list.

The West Indies joined Australia and India as the only countries with nominees in all four individual categories.

The players nominated for the individual awards were chosen by the five-man ICC Awards selection panel comprising Richie Benaud (chairman), Ian Botham, Sunil Gavaskar, Michael Holding and Barry Richards.

Selection was based on the players' performances over the course of the 12-month judging period (August 1, 2003 to July 31, 2004), and the experience, judgment and knowledge of the panel members.

A 50-member academy will complete the voting on the winner by August 23 and the winners will be announced on September 7.

The Voting Academy includes current captains, match officials, respected media representatives and legends of the game. The will will each cast a 3-2-1 vote (3 votes being the higher value) from the list of nominees in the individual award categories.

Emerging Player of the Year :

Michael Clarke (Australia)
Tino Best (West Indies)
Imran Farhat (Pakistan)
Umar Gul (Pakistan)
Yasir Hameed (Pakistan)
Hamish Marshall (New Zealand)
Irfan Pathan (India)
Devon Smith (West Indies)

One-Day International Player of the Year:

Stephen Fleming (New Zealand)
Andrew Flintoff (England)
Chris Gayle (West Indies)
Adam Gilchrist (Australia)
Jason Gillespie (Australia)
Matthew Hayden (Australia)
Jacques Kallis (South Africa)
VVS Laxman (India)
Muttiah Muralitharan (Sri Lanka)
Shaun Pollock (South Africa)
Ricky Ponting (Australia)
Abdur Razzaq (Pakistan)
Sachin Tendulkar (India)
Heath Streak (Zimbabwe)
Andrew Symonds (Australia)
Chaminda Vaas (Sri Lanka)
Daniel Vettori (New Zealand)

Test Player of the Year:

Rahul Dravid (India)
Andrew Flintoff (England)
Adam Gilchrist (Australia)
Jason Gillespie (Australia)
Steve Harmison (England)
Matthew Hayden (Australia)
Brian Lara (West Indies)
VVS Laxman (India)
Jacques Kallis (South Africa)
Muttiah Muralitharan (Sri Lanka)
Ricky Ponting (Australia)
Virender Sehwag (India)

Player of the Year:

Rahul Dravid (India)
Andrew Flintoff (England)
Steve Harmison (England)
Matthew Hayden (Australia)
Jacques Kallis (South Africa)
Brian Lara (West Indies)
VVS Laxman (India)
Muttiah Muralitharan (Sri Lanka)
Ricky Ponting (Australia)
Virender Sehwag (India)